April 21: Chief secretary Basudeb Banerjee today replied to the showcause served on him by the Election Commission, saying he had answered the notice sent to Mamata Banerjee by the poll panel as it was addressed to the chief minister.

"The chief secretary mentioned in his reply that as the letter was addressed to the chief minister, he had replied on her behalf," an official said.

The official added: "It appears the chief secretary's argument has some merit as the commission has already sent a fresh showcause notice to the chief minister at her residence. The second notice is addressed to the Trinamul Congress chairperson."

Deputy election commissioner Sandeep Saxena said the commission had received a reply to one of the two letters sent to Basudeb Banerjee.

In the second letter, the poll panel had reprimanded the chief secretary for the language used in a communication in which Basudeb Banerjee had written that the state government was not happy with the removal of Calcutta police commissioner Rajeev Kumar and added that the move would demoralise the force, for which the Bengal administration could not be held responsible.

"The poll panel had suggested that the chief secretary should refrain from using language that is uncalled for and unbecoming of a civil servant. So there was no question of sending a clarification to the second letter," another government official said.